The one big gap in my Wellington information remains post-war use by the French Air Force. The Aeronavale is well covered, but I am still unable to pin down the French Air Force use of the type, and all I have to go on is a handful of photographs dated 1946/47 with minimal information, and one shows two GR.XIV Wellingtons “en route to Indo China” in 1947.
Does anyone have any idea about which units used the type, where based, dates etc.? Before you ask, yes, I have tried contacting a number of French websites and the Le Bourget museum, but nobody answers.
Thanks in anticipation.
By: Steve Bond - 2nd December 2013 at 11:54
Many thanks for the replies. I have seen that lovely colour shot before, just wish I knew the relevance of ‘XIV’.
By: fana - 2nd December 2013 at 08:36
Hello, Steve
PM sent re French Wellingtons – info from Brooklands…
Andy
By: longshot - 2nd December 2013 at 01:09
SDASM photo here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/sets/72157633279699475/detail/?page=4
By: Thunderbird167 - 2nd December 2013 at 00:45
Is this of use as it has several photographs which seem to indicate that they were unarmed VIP transports
By: Steve Bond - 1st December 2013 at 14:32
It seems that French AF operations remain an enigma.
Thanks L.Gary, any follow up from your French friends would be greatly appreciated,
By: l.garey - 30th November 2013 at 16:27
Steve: I have just gone through the relevant pages of André Van Haute’s Pictorial History of the French Air Force (vol 2, 1941-1974) and can find no reference to French Wellingtons, even in the paragraphs about Indochina. I shall ask some French friends if they have any ideas.
PS: I just looked at http://avions-de-la-guerre-d-algerie.over-blog.com/article-117-les-vickers-wellington-de-la-marine-112979639.html
which gives quite a bit about the naval Wellingtons and, near the bottom of the page, two photos of Air Forces ones, NC492 and PF837. Any use?
By: paulmcmillan - 30th November 2013 at 15:04
wasn’t the Wellington renamed the Napoleon in French Service?
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November 30, 2013 at 2:11 pm